Authorities foil Executive Council meet of Hurriyat (G)

Detain scores of leaders

Srinagar, Feb 24 (KNS): Authorities on Saturday disallowed Executive Council meeting called by Syed Ali Geelani at Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Headquarters Hyderpora Srinagar and also detained several leaders including Gh Ahmad Gulzar (spokesman), Mohd Ashraf Laya, Bilal Sidiqee and placing several leaders under police stations.
“A posse of police personnel were posted outside Geelani’s residence at Hyderpora where the resistance leaders from various constituent parties were to hold a meeting,” spokesman said in a statement issued to KNS.
“Forces did not allow anybody to enter the residence of Geelani,” spokesman said.
Meanwhile, Hurriyat Conference while lashing at authorities said that “authorities are playing with fire” saying their despotic attitude is the root cause of uncertainty and horrendous situations in state.
The meeting was convened by the Geelani to discuss several important issues; however, police sealed all roads leading to his residence, said spokesman.
Police in large contingents was deployed and no one was allowed to enter Geelani’s residence, statement said.
Terming the curbs as ‘unjustified and unconstitutional’, saying “the anti-Kashmiri state resorted to its usual tactic of curbing the leadership and gaging voices, once again showing that Kashmir is ruled by the forces’ might,” Hurriyat added.
They said that the restrictions are open demonstration of state terrorism and while ridiculing coalition regime for their rhetoric about: ‘Battle of Ideas’ Hurriyat ‘said that their all slogans and tall claims proved fraud and hoax.
Later on, the executive members of Hurriyat conference including Gh Nabi Sumji, Hakim Abdul Rashid, Molvi Bashir Ahmad, Zamrooda Habib, Mohammad Yousuf Naqash, Syed Bashir Andrabi, Gulshan Abbas, Khawaja Firdous Wani, Mohammad Yaseen Ataie, Syed Mohammad Shafi, Ghulam Mohammad Nagu and Imtiaz Ahmed Shah were discussing the prevailing situation at Hurriyat headquarters, but police raided the office, thus foiled the said meeting.
The resistance leadership strongly condemned the police raids and said that it is unjustified, illogical and unconstitutional, saying that puppet authorities are hell-bent to create graveyard silence and denying political space to those pursuing their right peacefully.
Slamming authorities for imposing arbitrary measures, the statement said they are trampling basic and fundamental rights and pushing people to the wall.
Strongly criticising state authorities for their egoistic and tyrannical attitude, Hurriyat said that they feel insecure about the world opinion regarding deteriorating situations in Kashmir, hence strangulating genuine voices and resorting harsh measures to curb peaceful activities with its inhuman and proportionate military might.
Their tall claims and rhetoric for being a great democracy of world is nothing but a hoax and big fraud, said Hurriyat and added that despite all their repressive and coercive measures they shall have to bow down their heads before the people’s verdict. It is futile exercise to gag reasonable voices, impose restrictions and deny political space, saying their rhetoric for battle of ideas stand exposed. (KNS)